Author Topic: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY  (Read 10990 times)

Offline OCCD

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MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« on: July 09, 2010, 06:43:13 PM »
THIS THING IS A PIECE OF WORK!!! ;D 
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Offline Kingman

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2010, 08:06:47 PM »
That thing looks special!!!!  8) ;D 8)  How did you acquire it????   What exactly is an external power supply??? DUH!!!!!  :o
IN REALITY IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO YOU!!!!!

Offline rgpit

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2010, 08:22:55 PM »
Very very nice!!!

Ron
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Offline OCCD

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2010, 08:32:08 PM »
That thing looks special!!!!  8) ;D 8)  How did you acquire it????   What exactly is an external power supply??? DUH!!!!!  :o

I wish it was mine. A customer brought it in for repair. I hope I can pry it from him down the road.
Do you want ants? Because THAT'S HOW YOU GET ANTS!

Offline schwarcw

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2010, 08:43:26 PM »
Word is that is a very nice preamp!  I hope to hear it some day. :D

Carl
Carl

Offline Kingman

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #5 on: July 09, 2010, 08:53:03 PM »
That thing looks special!!!!  8) ;D 8)  How did you acquire it????   What exactly is an external power supply??? DUH!!!!!  :o

I wish it was mine. A customer brought it in for repair. I hope I can pry it from him down the road.
What was wrong with it???
IN REALITY IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO YOU!!!!!

Offline OCCD

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #6 on: July 09, 2010, 09:28:47 PM »
Both pieces were damaged in shipping something fierce due to poor packing. Front plate was bent as well.  It sounded like an expensive rattle when it came in here. Shit was all over the place.  Broken solder joints, broken relay. All the tubes survived though. :o Carl, it is paired with the MK III's and the Snells right now. It will be in operation for the meeting tomorrow.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2010, 06:03:10 PM by OCCD »
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OldiesButGoodies

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2013, 07:51:19 PM »
This is where the amazing pre came from.  It sounds pretty dang good.  Tight everything - bass, mid and highs.   :P

bearjew

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2013, 12:39:41 AM »
and 3 years after this thread started, the amp finally got purchased, and all was well in the land of the audio addicts

Offline Falcon

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2013, 12:51:03 AM »
Melos Made excellent gear.  That is a great Pre-amp. 

OldiesButGoodies

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2013, 09:59:48 AM »
The amp is still with Nick - he is a smart dude.  Rev is using a different one, it turns out.  The full tube design of this amp makes a difference IMO when compared to the Carver C-19.  That plus the dual mono design and the huge outboard power supply (umbilically attached to the main unit - no plug - and almost as big) make it sound kickass.  It has these strange gain controls for left and right that at least in Rev's unit did nothing to the sound or balance - I suspect they may have been bypassed in the past by a smart owner.   The phono section was not sounding impressive when I was there,  but Rev later messed with the dip switches or jumpers to match impedance and that came alive too. 

I like this pre,  but I am now addicted to the HT bypass feature in the Parasound (and the remote - I know Rev controls the colume of his Apple TV via the iPhone and the CD-80 from its remote, but I cannot do that with my tape deeks).  So my next pre upgrade will be a Parasound Halo P7 or the Carver Black Velvet when that comes out (the latter would earn a spot on my rack with or without remote control or HT bypass - assuming it sounds good enough - so I can make the Black Beautys happy). 

OBG

Offline Reverend

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Re: MELOS GK-1 TUBE PREAMP WITH EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
« Reply #11 on: June 29, 2013, 12:42:07 PM »
When I popped the top to mess with the phono channel I was able to see several modifications.  There was an extra set of rca's that turned out to be a second set of main outs.  The gain controls were rewired so they are now bypassed.  The other wild thing I found, which Tom and I feel are stock, was the volume control had a McIntosh logo on the back of it.

The phono channel really shines now as well as the high output cd channel.  I am running my apple tv via a DAC into this channel.  Half the tubes are marked made in Great Britain, the others are Japanese.  Nick has an extra set of Mullards so I can't wait to try those out. 

Remote?  I don't need no stink'n remote!